And then... the party's over.
WA Premier’s son pleads guilty over hotel argument charges
UPDATE: THE son of WA Premier Colin Barnett has been labelled an ‘embarrassment’ after he was fined $1500 over a fight with his girlfriend in a Gold Coast hotel room.
Greg Stolz
3 min read
March 30, 2016 - 4:31PM
WA Premier's son Sam Barnett appeared in Southport Court charged after a domestic dispute. Pics Adam Head
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THE son of WA Premier Colin Barnett has been fined $1500 after pleading guilty to smashing his girlfriend’s laptop and mobile phone during a wild argument in a Gold Coast hotel room.
And the magistrate who sentenced Sam Barnett says he has brought shame and embarrassment on himself and his family.
Barnett, 26, a property investor, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court to domestic violence-related wilful damage.
It followed an altercation with his now-ex-partner Melissa Garbin at the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Surfers Paradise on February 29.
Sam Barnett and Melissa Garbin.
The court heard police called to the hotel found Ms Garbin in the foyer crying and ‘very distressed’.
They found a ‘severely damaged’ laptop and a smashed mobile phone in the hotel room where the couple had been staying.
The court heard Barnett admitted to bending the phone until it smashed and stomping on the laptop on the hotel balcony.
Barnett appeared via telephone link from Perth and was represented by high-profile Gold Coast criminal lawyer Campbell MacCallum.
Mr MacCallum told the court messages deemed to be ‘inappropriate’ by Ms Garbin were found on the phone and laptop, an argument erupted and Barnett ‘exercised some poor judgement’.
Mr MacCallum said his client was ‘deeply ashamed and remorseful’, with his actions making front-page news in WA.
The lawyer said Barnett had suffered ‘reputational loss’, with business associates seeking to distance themselves from him.
Melissa Garbin poses in the back of a limousine
Magistrate Barbara Tynan described Barnett’s offending as ‘moderately serious in the circumstances’. She said while there was no physical violence, the damage to Ms Garbin’s property was a ‘demonstration of force’.
Ms Tynan said Barnett had no criminal history and described his behaviour as ‘isolated and aberrant’.
“The very fact that he is who he is and is a member of the (premier’s) family which has a profile in this country means that he draws significant adverse attention to himself by his own behaviour,”. she said.
“He brings embarrassment to himself and his family and no doubt suffered remorse ...
“He is engaged in the business community and to have others know of his conduct does him no credit ... it does him no good.”
Ms Tynan said if Barnett was in court in person, she would have given him a lengthy good behaviour bond.
But she instead imposed a $1500 fine - the same value as the damaged phone and laptop - and did not record a conviction.
Mr MacCallum said Barnett and Ms Garbin had split but remained ‘amicable’, and he had offered to buy her a new phone and laptop.
EARLIER: THE son of WA Premier Colin Barnett has pleaded guilty to smashing his girlfriend’s laptop and mobile phone during a wild argument in a Gold Coast hotel room.
Sam Barnett, 26, pleaded guilty to wilful damage in Southport Magistrates Court today following the early morning confrontation with Melissa Garbin at the luxury Mantra on the Park resort at Broadbeach.
Police were called to the apartment about 3am on February 29 after hotel security heard yelling. Mr Barnett spent about an hour in Southport watch-house.
The young property developer was not present for the case today — he was at home in Perth — but entered the guilty plea through high-profile Gold Coast criminal lawyer Campbell MacCallum.
Mr MacCallum told the court Ms Garbin was not seeking restitution as Sam Barnett, who bought her the laptop and phone as gifts, had offered to buy her new ones.
The lawyer said the pair were still on “amicable” terms despite separating and Mr Barnett was on a good behaviour bond.
Mr Barnett is expected to be sentenced this afternoon.
After the incident last month, Mr Barnett told media outlets he and Ms Garbin had “smashed” each other’s laptops and a mobile phone during an argument about a message he had received from another woman.
“It’s important that people know this isn’t an assault charge,” Mr Barnett said at the time.
“It’s a charge relating to a broken mobile phone and laptops.
Speaking earlier this month after his first appearance at Southport court, Mr Barnett said he was confident of beating the charge.
He said he had not spoken with his father about the incident but his mother was “not thrilled’’.
“I have to be careful because the matter’s still before the court but I’m very confident of the charge being dropped,” he told reporters.
“The police have been wonderful to work with and together, we’re coming up with a just outcome for all parties.”
Mr Barnett emphasised that it was a property damage case only.
“When people hear the connotation domestic violence, they immediately think it was something very different to the events that transpired,” he said.
“I haven’t spoken to dad — I think dad probably believes I’m capable of handling this by myself.
“I’ve spoken to mum and mum’s not thrilled.”